Disparity and Discrimination in the Criminal Justice System Today Essay Example

Disparity and Discrimination in the Criminal Justice System Today Essay Disparity and Discrimination in the Criminal Justice System Today Kimberly Acreman Cultural Diversity in Criminal Justice CJA/423 Brian Bugge January 25, 2010 Today’s criminal justice system encounters several difficult and problematic circumstances. However, the following paper will refer to involvement in disparity and discrimination within court procedures and law enforcement. Each situation discussed will pertain to disparity and discrimination within today’s criminal justice system. In some situations disparity can result from discrimination. The following paper will provide examples, definitions, contrast of disparity and discrimination, and comparison. Disparity is based on two elements known as legal and extralegal and do not mean discrimination exactly. The legal element supplies lawful explanations for decisions based on one’s criminal behavior and record. For instance, in court when determining a sentence or amount of time one should receive for breaking the law by burglary, rape, murder, etc. Another instance, law enforcement officials arrest an individual for burglary based on the individual’s past criminal history, and the fact that the individual was not far from the scene of crime. The extralegal element contains gender, lifestyle, class status, and nationality. However, these particular elements are not lawful basis for determinations. For instance, in court the determination of sentencing for individual to serve will not be based on nationality, but rather on statics of the population and community; as well as the appearance of the individual. We will write a custom essay sample on Disparity and Discrimination in the Criminal Justice System Today specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Disparity and Discrimination in the Criminal Justice System Today specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Disparity and Discrimination in the Criminal Justice System Today specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer In result, discrimination constitutes a different approach or determination against individuals based on nationality, religion, class status, etc. Discrimination is composed of four types known as systematic, contextual, institutionalized, and individual discriminating acts. Systematic is the discrimination within the criminal justice system, contextual pertains to particular crimes, institutionalized pertains to the criminal record and behavior, and finally the individual acts of discrimination is the individual’s own actions. For instance, law enforcement officials notice a woman on a street that is known for prostitution but what the law enforcement officials do not know is the woman is walking home from the bar. The law enforcement officials pull over, stop the woman, and arrest her based on the outfit she is wearing. Therefore, the result was based on the woman’s appearance and location she must be a prostitute. Another instance of discrimination would be a Middle Eastern woman who is accused of making terroristic threats. The judge does not base his decision on lack or quality of evidence, but rather bases his decision on nationality and history. Therefore, the judge decided the Middle Eastern woman was guilty based on assumptions or stereotypes of Middle Eastern individuals. The end of result of the judge’s determination led to people on the outside looking in and wondering if we as a country have any unity among individuals of different nationalities. Therefore, when comparing disparity and discrimination they are alike because they both focus on sentencing an individual for a crime committed either in court or by arrest. Both disparity and discrimination assist in determining on whether or not an individual is guilty or an assumption that an individual is guilty. When contrasting disparity and discrimination an individual is sentenced on a separate scale that is typically harsher. Discrimination separates into several difficult situations that compare to disparity, but are limited in the area. Discrimination can be possible and yet ending in results. However, they are not the same. Therefore, we can decrease the chance of discrimination by making sure that all laws are applied equally to all individuals who break them. If an African American is arrested and charged for a drug offense, and it is their first offense then the individual should receive the same sentence determination as any other individual with regard to their personal criminal history and the seriousness of the crime. What many people ponder about is how can just as many white people deal drugs as African Americans, but yet they receive unequal and unfair punishments with one another. Therefore, constant and consistent punishments are crucial to decline disparity and maybe even deduct the belief that our system discriminates. The biggest obstacle will be to make sure that all local and state departments come together to reach a solution that everyone can agree with. This is the biggest obstacle because every area from rural to urban to city have their own crimes that they are tougher and more lenient on. However, it is these particular inconsistencies that fault our system and makes people whole heartedly believe that our system discriminates (2006, Rivera). In closing, discriminating situations do happen within our justice system, and it is crucial for our system that reform is developed. Without some come of reform that focuses on racial disparities within our system the next generation of prisoners will be created. Therefore, reform is crucial to cease any disparities and discrimination within our system to resolve the particular issues pertaining to disparity and discrimination. Reference Rivera, B (2006, March 15) Disparity verses Discrimination in the Justice System. 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Writing Effective School Policy and Procedures

Writing Effective School Policy and Procedures Writing policy and procedures for schools is a part of an administrators job. School policies and procedures are essentially the governing documents by which your school district and school buildings are operated. It is essential that your policies and procedures be current and up-to-date. These should be reviewed and revised as necessary, and new policies and procedures should be written as needed. The following guidelines are tips and suggestions to consider when you are evaluating old policy and procedures or writing new ones. Why Is the Evaluation of School Policies and Procedures Important? Every school has a student handbook, support staff handbook, and certified staff handbook which are loaded with policies and procedures. These are vital pieces of each school because they govern the day-to-day occurrences that happen in your buildings. They are valuable because they offer the guidelines for how the administration and school board believe their school should be run. These policies come into play every single day. They are a set of expectations that all constituents within the school are held accountable by. How Do You Write Targeted Policy? Policies and procedures typically are written with a specific target audience in mind, This includes students, teachers, administrators, support staff, and even parents. Policies and procedures should be written so that the target audience understands what is being asked or directed of them.  For example, a policy written for a middle school student handbook should be written at a middle school grade level and with terminology that the average middle school student will understand. What Makes a Policy Clear? A quality policy is both informative and direct meaning that the information is not ambiguous, and it is always straight to the point. It is also clear and concise. A well-written policy will not create confusion. A good policy is also up-to-date. For example, policies dealing with technology probably need frequently updated  due to the rapid evolution of the technology industry itself. A clear policy is easy to understand. The readers of the policy should not only understand the meaning of the policy but understand the tone and the underlying reason the policy was written. When Do You Add New Policies or Revise Old Ones? Policies should be written and/or revised as needed. Student handbooks and such should be reviewed on a yearly basis. Administrators should be encouraged to keep documentation of all policies and procedures that they feel need to be added or revised as the school year moves along. There are times to put a piece of new or revised policy in effect immediately within a school year, but the majority of the time, the new or revised policy should go into effect the following school year. What Are Good Procedures for Adding or Revising Policies? The majority of policy should go through several channels before it is included within your proper district’s policy book. The first thing that has to happen is that a rough draft of the policy has to be written. This is usually done by a principal or other school administrator. Once the administrator is happy with the policy, then it is an excellent idea to form a review committee made up of the administrator, teachers, students, and parents. During the review committee, the administrator explains the policy and its purpose, the committee discusses the policy, makes any recommendations for revision, and decides whether it should be submitted to the superintendent for review. The superintendent then reviews the policy and may seek legal counsel to make sure the policy is legally viable. The superintendent may kick the policy back down to the review committee to make changes, may kick out the policy completely, or may send it on to the school board for them to review. The school board can vote to reject the policy, accept the policy, or may ask that a part be revised within the policy before they accept it. Once it is approved by the school board, then it becomes official school policy and is added to the appropriate district handbook.